Apparatus for extracting fibers from fibrous husks



May 16,v 1944. H. G. HENARES 2,348,813

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FIBERS FROM FIBROUS HUSKS Fle'd Sept'. 9. 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm/Wolf,

Hilario/L llzaJ-es UMF@ @www

. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. G. HENARES May 16, 1944.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FIBERS FROM FIBRoUs HUsKs Flled Sept 9, 1941 May 15, 1944 H. G. HENARES 2,348,813

APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING FIBERS FROM FIBROUS HUSKS Filed Sept. 9, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FIBER/S l FROM FIBROUS BUSES Hilarion G. Henares, Manila, P. I.: vested in the s claims.

The present invention relates to a separating apparatus and more particularly to a machine for extracting coir from coconutyhusks and recovering the coir dust.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanical coconut husk deiibering machine which eiiciently separates the coir ber from the coir dust of retted or boiled coconut husks.

Another object is to provide mechanical means comprising a plurality of cooperating `elements whereby a coconut husk or the like is subjected to a series of steps to separate coir fiber from coir dust. y

Yet another object is to provide apparatus for the emcient separation of coir dust from the coir fiber of retted coconut husks which includes a pressure treatment of the husks, combing the husks, separating the dust from the fiber, and conveying the ber to effectuate a further combing of the ber and a more complete separation of the dust therefrom.

Another object is to provide a husk debering machine, the principle of which is to first crush the husk between rollers and thereby loosen the ber from the dust or corky material and then to comb the broken or crushed husk as it passes through a breaker and worker and doffer to cause the dust to separate and fall or be thrown through slots beneath the worker and doffer to be recovered, and to throw the fiber upon a saw-tooth conveyor which further shakes the dust from the ber, and thence to drop the ber to a finisher where it is thoroughly cleaned.

In its broad'aspect this invention embraces a series of coordinated steps for eiiciently separating ber dust from ber and, more particularlyI relates to mechanical means for separating and recovering coir dust from the coir fiber of retted or boiled coconut husks.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description thereof and from the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows an elevation of the debering machine illustrating the drive mechanism;

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal vertical sec-` tion taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 3; and

Figure 3 is a top plan of the deibering machine. c

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 2, the numeral Ill generally indicates a casing or housing of any suitable material for the debering machine to permit the dust to be separated from the fiber so as to conne the separated dust within limited'areas in order that it may be easily recovered.

A chute II engages through the housing Il and cooperates with a plurality of pairs of iiuted pressure rollers, indicated at I2, I2a: Il, Ila; and I 4, -Ita, respectively. The uted rollers I2, I3, and I4 are lower rollers while the uted rollers I2a, I3a, and Ita are the upper rollers, with each upper roller overlying its respective lower roller in pressure engaging relation with respect to material passing therebetween. The roller I2 is provided with a shaft I5, upon which it is suitably secured, while the roller I2a has a shaft or axis I5a extending longitudinallyl therethrough. In like manner, the roller Il is provided with shaft I6, roller I3a with shaft I6a, roller yI4 with shaft Il, and roller Ila with shaft Ila. The respective rollers I2, I3, and Il, and Iza, I3a, and Ila, are driven by a gear train in a manner hereinafter more fuy set out, and the shafts are suitably supported in the walls of the housing I0.

In order to increase or decrease pressure upon the rollers I2, I3, and I4, and I2a, Ila, and Ila, there is provided an adjustable pressure regulating means operating against each upper roller in any suitable manner and including a spring Ill` carrying a plate I8a at its lower end which engages with roller Iza, said spring I8 and plate I8a being disposed with a depending casing IIb which is carriedy a portlonof the housing Il. A screw I8c th eadedly engages through the housing I0 to contact a plate lad disposed on the upper end of spring I8.

Each top roller I2a, I3a, and I 4a is provided withl an overlying adjustable pressure regulating means. such as just desribed, so that pressure on the rollers may be .selectively increasedor decreased, depending upon the material being processed, by turning the screw I8c in the proper direction.

Thus it can be seenthat the retted or boiled coconut husks are introduced into chute II and propelled toward the fluted pair of rollers I2, I2a between which it passes. The husk next passes between rollers I3, I3a and I4, Ila where it enters a combing area in which is suitablyl disposed, within a housing I9a, a cylinder Il which rotates on a. shaft 20 which is Journaled in the walls of housing I 0. 'I'he cylinder yI9 is provided with spaced apart steel pins 2| mounted in spaced groups of four around the circumferential` surface thereof. The cylinder I9 rotates at a high speed. e. g., 300 R. P. M.

The fiber is further combed against stationary pins 28 mounted in spaced apart relation around the outer circumferential surface thereof. 'I'he worker rotates at a speed of 25 R. P. M. and is driven by a. gear train, as hereinafter explained. i

The doifer 25 is provided with a plurality of pins 29 mounted in spaced apart relation around the outer circumferential surface thereof. The doffer rotates at a speed of 100 R. P. M. It is to be understood that the pins 28 of the worker 24 are sufciently spaced with respect to the pins 29 of the doer 25 so that the ber can be carried therebetween.

The Worker 24 and the doier 26 are of the same size and are disposed side by side beneath the cylinder I9 to further act upon the ber. The ber dust is separated from the ber at this point and drops through an opening or slots 30 into a suitable container. Better separation of the ber dust is accomplished by having the worker and dofer rotate at relatively different speeds, the ratio as described being 1:4.

The ber is carried past the worker and doffer area along a backing 3| and is thrown by centrifugal force to a saw-tooth conveyor, generally indicated at 32, leaving a substantial portion of ber dust remaining behind to be recovered.

The saw-tooth conveyor 32 is provided with a plurality of stationary saw-tooth bars 33 and movable bars 34, each alternate bar being movable. The stationary bars 33 are suitably supported, as by cross pieces extending transversely of and anchored in the walls of housing I0, and the movable bars are each secured to a crank 35 at the lower ends thereof. Rotation of the crank 35 by motive power, hereinafter described, causes the saw-tooth bars 34 attached thereto to raise and push the ber forward along the conveyor. The ber is prevented from backward slipping by the stationary saw-tooth bars between the moving ones. At the upper end of the conveyor, the bars 34 are secured to a stay or support 35 which is slidable in slot 31 following the movement of the crank"35.

The bars 33 and 34 are about one-half inch apart, and the raising and dropping of the moving saw-tooth bars causes a jiggling of the mass of ber so that further separation of coir dust is effected while the ber is progressively moved along the conveyor.

As the ber drops from the upper end of the saw-tooth conveyor 32, it passes between two fluted feed rollers 38 and 39 rotating on shafts 4l) and 4|, respectively, before being dropped onto a nishing cylinder 42.

The cylinder 42 is suitably mounted within the casing I and rotates on a shaft 43 journaled in the walls of casing I0. The cylinder 42 has a plurality of spaced apart steel pins 44 mounted on the circumferential surface thereof and revolves at a high speed, e. g., 300 R. P. M. Further combing of the ber occurs as the ber passes along the pins 45 mounted on the backing 45 (note Fig. 2) from when it is carried along a guide 41 made of half-inch mesh wire netting housing 49 proportioned to receive the revolving cylinder 42 and provided with an opening through which the ber is thrown by centrifugal force onto a conveyor 50 similar to conveyor 32 where it is taken away for drying, baling, or the like.

The ber, as it passes along the wire netting 41, further loses any remaining ber dust, which dust may be collected in any manner as by hav'- ing slots or openings in housing 49 through which the dust falls into suitable containers.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, it is pointed out that the power for driving the coconut husk debering machine may be furnished from any source, as by motor or engine.

Power is transmitted to a pulley P secured to shaft 20 by a belt B from the motor which turns the cylinder or breaker card I9 and pinion 52 keyed tothe end of shaft 29. Pinion 52 has 30 teeth which mesh with the teeth of the spur gear 53 to drive the same. The spur gear 53 has 140 teeth and is mounted for rotation on 'shaft 54 which is suitably supported on the housing Il. Two sprocket wheels 55, each having 8 teeth, are keyed to shaft 54 and rotate with spur gear 53. One of the sprocket wheels 55, shown at the right hand side in Fig. 3, is connected by a sprocket chain 55 to the doffer 25 and a sprocket Awheel 51 securedto one end of crank 35 whereby the rotation of spur gear 53 drives the 'doifer 25 and operates the crank 35. A sprocket wheel 55a is keyed to the shaft 21 so that rotation of le sprocket wheel 55a will also rotate the doifer Another sprocket wheel ,58 is secured to the opposite end of crank 35 which is connected by sprocket chain 59 to another sprocket wheel 59 which is secured to shaft 5| extending transversely through the housing I 0 and supported thereby. Another sprocket wheel 52 is mounted on the opposite end of shaft 5| and engages a sprocket chain 53 which in turn engages another sprocket wheel 54 mounted on the end of shaft 40 of the feed roller 38. Feed roller 39 which rotates on shaft 4| is driven by frictional engagement with roller 38 as the ber passes therebetween.

The other sprocket wheel 55 keyed to shaft 54 at its left end (note Fig. 3) is connected by sprocket chain 55 to sprocket wheel 55 keyed to shaft 51. Also keyed to shaft 51 is a spur gear 58 (note Fig. 1) engaging intermediate gear 59 mounted on shaft 59a which in turn engages spur gears 10 and 1| which mesh with gears 12 and 13, respectively. Gear 10 is keyed to shaft I5 and rotates uted roller I2. Gear 12 is keyed to shaft 5a and rotates roller I2a. Spur gear 1| is keyed to shaft I5 and rotates roller I3. Spur gar 13 is keyed to shaft |50. and rotates roller The spur gear 58 also engages another intermediate gear 14 mounted on shaft 14a. The gear 14 engages another spur gear 15 mounted on shaft |1 to rotate roller I4. The gear 15 in turn engages a spur gear 15 keyed to shaft |1a to rotate roller |4a.

A sprocket wheel 11 is also keyed to shaft 51 and is connected by means of a sprocket chain 18 to another sprocket wheel 19 keyed to shaft 25 of the worker 24.

Apulley 80 is keyed to shaft 20 of cylinder I9 and is connected by belt 8| to an equal sized supported by a plurality of blocks 48 |secured I pulley 82 which is keyed to shaft 43 of cylinder 42. Cylinders I9 and 42 rotate at the same speed.

As pointed out before, the shaft 20 is suitably The particular way the said shafts are mounted is not per se within the scope of this invention'. and it is not thought necessary to particularize in relation thereto. 'I'he walls of housing I0, as well as the top, are of sulcient thickness and strength to support the various shafts upon which the gearing mechanism and cylinders rotate, said shafts being suitably Journaled for rotation on v.said housing walls.

In operation, retted coconut husks, or any like material, are introduced into chute I I and are propelled to and pass between uted pairs of rollers I2, I2a; I3, |30.; and I4, I4a. Pressure upon any one or all of said pairs of rollers can be selectively increased or decreased by proper manual manipulation of screw I8c to regulate the tension of spring I8.

After the crushed coconut husks leave the vcrusher rollers, they pass a combing compartment I 9a where they comein contact with steel pins 2I carried by cylinder I9 which is rotating at 300 R. P. M. to berlze the husks. The husks pass downwardly along the pins 22, being continuously and rapidly combed by the pins 2I. After the forward, combing means to comb the brous husks as they leave the said roller means, means including a ber receiving area disposed below said combing means to separate the fiber dust from the ber, interacting rotatable cylinders 'in such area arranged to separate dust from the ber and raise the ber from such area, conveyor means to progressively move the ber forward in Jerky stepsvto further separate dust therefrom, a

combed bers leave the area of pins 22, they fall ing theber along lthe member 3l to the opening in compartment |90. where it is thrown by centrifugal force onto the saw-tooth conveyor 32.

The ber is progressively moved along the conveyor 32 by a series of steps imparted by the crank movement of some or the saw-tooth conveyor bars. The movement of the ber along the conveyor 22 is such that the ber is shaken up to enable a. further removal of coir dust.

After the ber leaves the conveyor 32, it falls on and passes between aud rollers n and :s

into housing 48 where it is further combed in a l' manner similar to the prior combing inorder to separate the remaining coir dust from the bers. collected.

The ber passes along screen 41 and is thrown onto conveyor III where it is transported to a further point for baling or the like.

It is to beunderstood that various modifications The .dust falls through a screen 41 and is second combing means to comb the ber as it leaves the conveyor to further separate the ber dust therefrom, -and power means to drive the aforementioned means.

2. An apparatus for separating ber dust from brous husks comprising roller means to crush said brous husks and move them progressively forward to' a combing area, a rotatable cylinder provided with pins disposed within said combing area to comb said husks and to progressively move the same to a dust separating area disposed below said combing area, a worker and doer mounted to rotate at diierent speeds within said dust separating area to act upon the bers to separate the dust therefrom', the pins of said rotatable cylinder. throwing bers from the said combing area, a conveyor to receive the bers and progressively move them forward while shaking them to further eliminate` dust therefrom, feed rollers to receive the bers as they leave the conveyor, the said bers passing between the feed rollers into a second combing area, a rotatable cylinder provided with pins disposed within said second combing area to further comb the bers and thoroughly clean the same, and power means to simultaneously drive the roller means, rotatable cylinders, worker and doffer, conveyor, and feed rollers.

3. An`apparatus for separating ber dust from brous husks comprising means for crushing said brous husks at an elevated height, means for combing said crushed husks at relatively high speed while lowering them to a dust removing therefrom and deliver the combed remainder, and

power means for simultaneously driving the aforementioned means.

. mLARION G. HENARES. 

